Druid Combat Role?

Darkstal

Hello again Sapience!

When I had originally played, I had set forth to embrace the Metamorph side of things while using the staff from Groves for support/defense, though now Reclamation adds a level of control that I'm still wrapping my mind around and determining how useful it can be.

What has everyone's experience been with regards to a Druid's Best role in both Bashing/PvP within Achaea? Below is what I'm reflecting on so far so please correct me where I am wrong:

• Metamorphosis: Mana heavy initial setup, Endurance heavy once Powers are being utilized. Monk-style combos with multiple Hydra heads for PvP, fairly potent Wyvern Bashing setup with Maul. Could be argued that almost all the offense and most control can be done through this branch of Druids, with the right setup for afflictions leading to deadly combos.
• Groves: Staff and Grove provide a 3rd Resources as Sunlight which is spent in combination with mana. Can be used to enhance defenses and provide a wide range of support (Healing and Affliction Mitigation) with little in the way of offense (Staff Swing/Sharpen/Stab, Blizzard, and Lightning). Hives can be useful, and the Golem is nice if setup in advance and druid can declare own terms. Can portal grove to new locations for more support/potency when needed (limited to forests only). Can be situational and limits heavily to environment, with some utility through the use of the staff.
• Reclamation: Mana Heavy, seems to be a full counter to Extermination which wasn't there when I last played, having replaced concoctions. Use a "creep" like effect to branch out in a forest, which adds an additional layer to a grove/forest that prevents Extermination. Provides Lashing (Offense) and Spores (Control/Afflictions), with a unique variety of utility movement/remote scrying abilities. Potential offensive ability usable in any room, easier in Forests, and instant in a grove

From what I can gather from the above, the class is fairly potent with stacking afflictions, control, and support with a few combos offensively to be potent. I'm still wrapping my mind around the new Rage abilities, which I imagine can alter combat in some way but not entirely sure yet.

Has everyone else's experience been about the same? Thanks for all the feedback!

Kiet

There's not really set 'roles' in Achaea in the first place, at least not to the level of wow or other mmo's. Druid beats people through limb damage setups in 1v1, and does damage and utility in groups. How much things cost in mana is not really very important except when fighting mana insta classes.

Every class has the exact same role in bashing: hit things. A couple of classes have a 'defend ally' battlerage too, but otherwise that holds true.

Cailin

For bashing, you use the wyvern morph, utilize vitality and flail staff always, and panacea, vigour, or reclamation refresh when needed. It's pretty simple. I don't experience very much Mana drain when hunting. Druid bashing tends to be on the tanky-but-slow side.

Druid combat is also pretty simple (as far as combat can be called simple), there's an incinerate kill path and a reclamation kill path that I know of. I'm no expert, but I could explain the basics IG, or you could talk to Miriew, he knows a lot about it.

Darkstal

Thank you both for the prompt reply!

I'll try to get into touch with you @Cailin and @Miriew here in the coming weeks/months as I get my rift/cures etc all situated.

I'm also reading up a lot on how stats and traits have come into focus, allowing for a large variety of "builds" that range from gimmicky, role play fun, and optimized which is nice. They most certainly didn't have Major/Minor Traits when I last played, and being able to flavor one's stats around styles of each race was a really enjoyable addition.

When I originally started RP/PvP I wanted to focus on a build where I could go for a Satyr Head Stomp combo/kill path if such a thing existed. I was looking into a Gorilla Morph setup at one point before I had stopped playing that I got a couple of good solid hits in the arena but no official kills.

Really appreciating the feedback and thanks again!

Darkstal

What prompted the inquiry was something that came up while I was going through the Wiki Pages.

http://wiki.achaea.com/Combat:Druid

This article was done back in 2013, and once I get myself acclimated I'd love to try putting together books/articles of the same for use for our local druids as well assuming such a resource isn't already available in-game. It mentions the "Wyvern Incinerate" Path and "Freeze Pound" Path as well.

I know Head Stomp isn't all that amazing, or at least it wasn't back in the day. Still think it would fun to try to build a combo around, if such a thing is even possible.

Aegoth

What? Just spam hydra bind/prone/sensi over and over and win every team fight ever because forestal classes are fair and balanced

Darkstal

Aegoth said:

What? Just spam hydra bind/prone/sensi over and over and win every team fight ever because forestal classes are fair and balanced

Not entirely sure if sarcasm, joke, or if this is a legit concern... But I've been trying to read up on the combat logs and I imagine it isn't entirely this simple/overpowered?

That being said, I recall Serpent classes being equally potent for the same thing if only because Achaea is an affliction based game, where the team that has the best balance of raw DPS, Affliction stacking, and Affliction management will win. Is this no longer the case?

Rangor

Darkstal said:

Aegoth said:

What? Just spam hydra bind/prone/sensi over and over and win every team fight ever because forestal classes are fair and balanced

Not entirely sure if sarcasm, joke, or if this is a legit concern... But I've been trying to read up on the combat logs and I imagine it isn't entirely this simple/overpowered?

That being said, I recall Serpent classes being equally potent for the same thing if only because Achaea is an affliction based game, where the team that has the best balance of raw DPS, Affliction stacking, and Affliction management will win. Is this no longer the case?

If you have friends hitting the same target, that's actually one of the better things you can do. won't solo kill anyone with that though.

Dupre

Read the thread in this section called "hydra prepping"

and also https://forums.achaea.com/discussion/comment/334202

Kiet

Darkstal said:

Aegoth said:

What? Just spam hydra bind/prone/sensi over and over and win every team fight ever because forestal classes are fair and balanced

Not entirely sure if sarcasm, joke, or if this is a legit concern... But I've been trying to read up on the combat logs and I imagine it isn't entirely this simple/overpowered?

That being said, I recall Serpent classes being equally potent for the same thing if only because Achaea is an affliction based game, where the team that has the best balance of raw DPS, Affliction stacking, and Affliction management will win. Is this no longer the case?

Barring certain combos with free-impatience classes, druid is superior to serpent (and the vast majority of classes tbh) every day of the  week.

In a big enough group, your afflictions really don't matter, it's all about who can instantly damage people out faster. In small groups, afflictions are stronger, and serpent can shine there. In big groups serpent is just there to snipe 90% of the time.

Kiet

Note that above post is about groups only, I'd take serpent over druid 1v1 unless you can guarantee certain bugs never get fixed.

Ellodin

the bashing role is find someone who bashes faster and give that person vigour

the group combat role is MURDERER, even without bind it's quite good